What's Keeping Us Together
by bubbles799
Summary: They were on shaky ground… What was the one thing that kept them together?
1. Part I

**Title:** What Keeping Us Together  
**Author:** bubbles799  
**Show:** _Packed to the Rafters_  
**Characters:** Jake/Rachel  
**Summary:** They were on shaky ground… What was the one thing that kept them together?  
**Disclaimer:** I shall say it once and once only: PTTR is not mine!

_**Based a lot around the events of Season 3, Episode 18 'Between The Covers'.**_

_**I thought about extending it and making it more of a story, but then the idea seemed a bit cheesy. Then I made it into a one-shot. And now I've come to the conclusion it would be better in a couple of parts, albeit extremely cheesy! But let me know what you think. **_

Their relationship was at a rocky patch; a rocky patch far greater and for much longer than any before it had lasted previously.

The stresses with health, work and colleagues, all built up over the gruelling weeks.

/

Jake hated it. He knew he loved Rachel like there was no tomorrow. He hated the fights, the disagreements, the over-reactions and the bitter words. He missed the easy-going, fun and teasingly flirtatious ways of their relationship. They'd faced the ups and downs (his health crisis for one) and yet they'd found a way through it. But this time…

/

Rachel hated their fights. The war of words, the anger. Some days were good; they'd run around like idiots and enjoy the fun times and each other's company. But some were bad; they'd have stupid disagreements about nothing and bicker like school kids. Rachel knew her feelings for Jake were forever and that she loved him. But she wanted nothing more than for them to get over this rough patch and move forward in their lives. Together.

/

If Rachel was honest, it was mainly her work that brought everything to a head; that caused them the most problems. When she'd taken on her new job at EMB, Jake had vowed to support her and cope with her busier, and longer, work schedules. And he tried. Rachel knew that. But saying it and living it are two entirely different things. They'd both dealt with the struggles of actually living it.

One of the worse fights they'd had, just as Rachel had told Ben and Melissa, was caused after Rachel told colleague Liam about Jake's epilepsy. A smaller fight occurred straight after, with Jake leaving Rachel's work building angry, and Rachel left feeling confused and upset.

_Jake: What were you thinking?  
Rachel: What, why is it such a big deal? Who cares if Liam knows?  
Jake: I do! Liam is the last person on earth I want knowing my business.  
Rachel: I thought you two were getting on.  
Jake: I was making an effort for you. You don't have a clue, Rachel.  
Rachel: Okay. At least let me drive you home, okay?  
Jake: I thought you were here all night. I'll catch a train. _

And that was how it had ended. Not their relationship, which Rachel knew was in jeopardy at the time. But that was how that argument had ended. And it was only the fuel to the fire in their biggest fight yet.

/

Jake had been sitting on his lounge room couch when Rachel had arrived at his place later that evening. He'd heard the click of his front door closing and knew it was Rachel without even turning around.

Jake had told her why he was angry when she'd questioned his behaviour. And when she apologised, it had seemed like they were on the ground to making up.

Right up until the point where he asked her if she admitted she was wrong.

_Rachel: Okay fine, fine. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry if I hurt you.  
Jake: So you admit that you were wrong?  
Rachel: No._

Jake had scoffed and sighed, as the couple found themselves back at square one.

_Rachel: No, no! I was trying to protect you!  
Jake: Yeah typical. Typical. You expect me to do whatever you want me to do and to act the way you want me to act.  
Rachel: What, where did that come from?  
Jake: Face it, you're such a spoilt brat. You're just too used to getting your own way.  
Rachel: Where do you think you're going? You are not driving.  
Jake: Don't tell me what to do.  
Rachel: If you get in that car I will not be here when you get back.  
Jake: Yeah well, I didn't ask you to come over in the first place. _

Rachel had been left standing in the living room of Jake's house. Nothing had really registered, right up until the point where he'd picked up his keys and left, defying all doctors orders. And just like she told Ben and Melissa shortly after, that was the end to their worst ever fight.

/

The next morning was when the sore point really hit. For both of them.

When Nathan had come into the Rafter house the morning after and told them that Jake was making his own way to the worksite, Rachel had immediately jumped to conclusions. Given he'd been quick to get back behind the wheel the previous night, Rachel simply assumed that when he meant 'make his own way there', he'd be doing that by driving a car. If only she hadn't been so quick to assume.

Jake had received the message she left on his phone just as he was leaving the house, about to climb on his bike and _ride _to work. And then her message had come through.

_Rachel: Jake, I don't know why I care but if you are driving to work then you are an idiot. And we are over. Okay, I mean it._

There had been more of a message left, but Jake had gotten part of the drift and hung up before he could hear more. He felt hurt and betrayed by her lack of trust. He didn't see the fact that she had been left standing there when he driven off last night. And because of that hurt, it was why he got back behind the wheel of his car. In spite of her. If she couldn't trust him and didn't care anymore, than neither did he. And that was precisely the reason he drove again.

/

And so did the times begin where they would wake up alone, got to bed alone and get back to life as a single person again.

Rachel threw herself into her work, ignoring digs and comments made by Liam and simply shutting up and dealing with it.

Jake got on with his own work, mainly avoiding the Rafter house. And got back to watching the sports with his brother at home every night.

There were times that they felt the pain of not having someone to share things with. It hit Rachel hardest when Libby sent her a sample wedding invitation for ideas, and Rachel realised she'd be attending her love-struck friends' nuptials alone. Desperate and dateless. And it hit Jake when he went to turn to someone to talk about the more complicated things of life. While he could talk to his brother and Camel about the sport and 'blokey' topics, there were times when he wished he'd had Rachel back to talk to her.

/

Three weeks had passed before long, and before Rachel had realised. Completely out of the blue, completely unexpected and completely unplanned. The shock she'd felt, the stress she'd felt, the fear she'd felt.

Pain mostly. Pain at thinking immediately that she couldn't deal with it now. Not when she was so busy in a new job, not when she was fighting with Jake and apparently single.

Either way, there would be pain. It was just about which pain she was willing to choose.

But it didn't take her long to think back to a similar time, yet so different, in the past from her relationship with Daniel. And that made her realise even more that there was no way she could go through that pain again.

_**That's the first part done. I think the plot is fairly obvious...**_

_**I have already completed this, and there is three parts. So read and review, and I'll get posting as soon as I can!**_

_**I'd love to know how you think, no matter how cheesy you thought it was!**_


	2. Part II

_**Hi guys! Currently up at Surfer's Paradise, after last weekend's Gold Coast 600 car race. And given I'm on a production break, we kind of decided to stay a few days! Absolutely having a ball...**_

_**And I think my partner might be up to something, I'm just not quite sure what. He's been weird all day and disappeared... Damn, a guy thinking big? Scary thought!**_

_**Second part of this up now... Remember to read and review, despite the corny, slightly soapy storyline...**_

Again, Rachel had first confided in Melissa at the discovery she was unexpectedly expecting. Getting over the initial shock at being pregnant, she'd turned to the nurse and her sister-in-law.

And being the calm, level-headed nurse that she was, Melissa was comforting, yet honest.

"Calm down and find out for sure before you start freaking out about something that might not even be happening," Melissa had told Rachel. At first, Rachel had seemed intent on freaking out and barely listening to anything Melissa was saying. And poor Melissa had a hell of a time trying to get any word in between the over-reacting blonde's tirade of words.

"I can't calm down! I'm single, I'm barely talking to the father and I'm still the newbie at work. I've got plans... and none of them involve a baby yet!" Rachel had no idea what she was on about anymore; there were too many thoughts swirling around her head.

"Just focus on one thing at a time. For starters, have you confirmed, you're actually..."

"Pregnant?" Rachel finished for her. "Yes."

"Because those tests aren't always accurate," Melissa added. Rachel nodded.

"Well I did. I went to the doctors yesterday," Rachel replied. "They called me this morning."

"And you, haven't spoken to Jake?" Melissa asked tentatively.

"I've barely seen him. He's barely talking to me," Rachel told her, putting her head down on the outdoor table. The two girls were sitting in the backyard of the Rafter house.

"I haven't known Jake as long as you, but he strikes me as the caring type," Melissa decided. "He'd probably want to know. It might be good for you too."

"No, no, I can't," Rachel put her hands up. "He hasn't wanted anything to do with me in weeks now."

"But that's between you too. This is completely different," Melissa pointed out. Rachel didn't say anything, merely slumping her head back down on the table.

_**Next Day**_

Rachel had gone to work, albeit extremely distracted, and attempted to work off all the problems she had. Or at the very least, to forget about them for a period of time.

But it had failed. She was far too distracted to concentrate properly on the campaigns in front of her. She was like a robot, working on autopilot. She barely even registered what she was doing. And it wasn't going unnoticed.

Medusa was the one to pull her up on it. Rachel had been grateful for Medusa's help in the past. And when Medusa told Rachel that the mock up she was getting printed was for the wrong campaign for the second time that day, Rachel called it a day, taking her work home with her.

She'd been home for a few hours, questioned several times by her mother as to why she was home already, and had managed to achieve almost nothing by the time Melissa came over to see her later that afternoon, apparently just finished work judging by the fact she was still in her nurses' uniform.

"I'm not coming to check up on you," Melissa immediately told her sister-in-law when she entered Rachel's bedroom. "I'm just here if you want to talk." Rachel smiled knowingly and nodded.

"I know what I'm going to do," Rachel 'fessed up and told the nurse. Melissa waited for Rachel to continue. "I'm going through with this. It sounds completely crazy and I don't even know what I'm thinking but I'm not giving up this baby. I can't do that again." Melissa smiled and nodded.

"And Jake?"

"I'm going to tell him," Rachel continued. "Whether or not he cares, he has a right to know."

"So I can officially say congratulations now?" asked Mel with a big smile. Rachel laughed before giving her sister-in-law a hug, both of the girls laughing.

Rachel honestly had no idea what she was doing. But she did know that she was going to try, because no matter what the circumstances behind it, this was a good thing. And although scared, Rachel was happy.

/

Telling Jake was one of the hardest things she had done. But the moment she had, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

It took her two days after her congratulatory talk with Mel to work herself up enough to actually tell him. Despite it being a Saturday, Jake was working for the morning with Dave to finish off on a large contract. He'd been standing by the van with Dave, Nathan joining them from next door. As she'd expected, Jake had barely wanted to talk to her.

"Can't this wait? We've got a job on," Jake had said when she asked to talk to him.

"No, it can't," Rachel had said defiantly before she walked off towards the Rafter backyard, giving him little option other than to follow her. Dave and Nathan has watched the pair leave, curious.

His initial reaction had been that of shock, something Rachel wasn't surprised at; she'd had the same reaction herself. He'd questioned her motives for dragging him out here, given they'd barely spoken in weeks. And then she'd confessed, spilling all. Jake had blinked, before sitting, or better said slumping, down onto the outdoor setting they'd been standing next to.

With Jake apparently unable to say anything, Rachel took the liberty of continuing her own words.

"I'm not asking you for anything. I'm not asking you to be involved. But you have a right to know."

"God Rach. When?" Jake wasn't managing to get his words out in full sentences.

"When did I find out?" Rachel clarified. "A few days ago."

"A few days ago? Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Jake had asked, still shocked.

"Jake, you've barely spoken to me in how long. Besides, I needed time to get my own head around it all," Rachel said honestly. "I'm sorry if I've upset you."

"Oh no Rach," Jake was quick to tell. "I just meant, you should have told me sooner so you didn't have to go through it all alone."

Rachel registered his words, being painfully reminded yet again of the Jake she had fallen in love with.

"Are you… going to, uh…" Jake didn't know where to find the words, leaving Rachel to fill in the gaps.

"Keep it? Yes," Rachel told him plainly. "You know my past. I can't go through that again." Jake nodded.

The pair agreed to talk later that day, when Jake finished work, and see where they were to go from there. Whilst Jake left in a daze, Rachel took a huge sigh of relief at feeling like she didn't have it all bottled up inside.

/

They'd talked, just as they'd both promised each other that day. Jake was adamant that he wasn't going anywhere, a fact that Rachel was secretly extremely thrilled about. As for the discussion of a reconciliation between the pair, neither would commit to anything when their heads were so muddled with their latest news.

And somehow, this little piece of news had made the wedge between the couple appear that much smaller. Whether it was smaller or not was unsure, but the fact that they sent each other goodnight texts later that night, caused both of them to smile.

/

Barely a week later, with Rachel able to concentrate better on her work given she didn't have the weight of the world on her shoulders, she was at EMB, sitting in her office when Liam had entered. He informed her that the clients were ready and waiting. And then as a sore point, he'd told her to smile, because she was being a sore loser.

It was at that moment that Rachel saw his exact true colours. A slimy little toad that Jake had had picked right from the start. Whether or not it was to do with the fact that she was feeling overly emotional at the present, Rachel had taken it to her boss, Paul Morgan. And he'd given her an option; build a bridge and get over it or walk.

And, half surprising herself, Rachel picked walk. Leaving the building, Rachel couldn't believe how immensely free she almost immediately felt. Whoever knew a work place could be so toxic?

And it's when Rachel went about amending the bridges in the lives of the people that really mattered. And first stop had been Jake. After a word to Alex, Rachel had headed for the footy field Jake was apparently training at. She stood off to the side, watching. Camel spotted her first, before seemingly sending Jake in her direction.

It's when the apologies started flowing. Telling Jake that he had been right all along about her job, that she loved the gift he had given her recently and telling her that she was wrong. And much to Jake's delight, that she didn't want to lose him.

He hadn't been able to help the smile that crossed his face as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her passionately. The reconciled couple were completely oblivious to Jake's cheering footy friends behind them, a whole football team relieved that Jake was back with his girl and perhaps able to concentrate a little more on the game from now on.

_**And we have one final chapter to go... This is not a long fiction; I was planning on making it a story length fiction, but it appeared to just drag on. Then it became a one-shot... Which then felt *way* too long. And then it ended up like this; a three-parter. **_

_**Read and review guys! Thanks a heap. xx**_


	3. Part III

_**Third and final part of this fiction. This was not the easiest fiction to write; it took me more than a week to get it done. I started it, decided it wasn't good and left it... Then had more inspiration and came back to it. And here is the final result. **_

_**As for me, I'm chilling out until Monday when I head to Melbourne for the race that stops the nation... the Melbourne Cup!**_

And so did the next few months of their lives begin. Their fights were less apparent; mostly fights about who had the last piece of chocolate or whether or not they would have a baby girl or boy. But nothing as volatile as it had been before. They had a way to go, but it appeared their rocky patch was over.

By the time Rachel was three months pregnant, and already showing, much to her dislike and to Jake's amusement, they were back to the inseparable couple they had been once before. With both their families completely in the loop, and completely over the moon by the up and coming arrival, they didn't spend a night alone. Sometimes they were at the Rafter house, some days they were at the house Jake shared with Alex. They were content, a place they had been far away from for a while there.

/

When Rachel had reached the six month mark of her pregnancy, they had had a fight.

But thankfully, it wasn't a terrible one. It was simply about their unborn child's gender.

"But wouldn't it be nice to find out?" Rachel had protested, following Jake into the Rafter kitchen as he went to place both his plate and Rachel's plate in the dishwasher. Julie and Dave were sitting on the couch with Ruby, amused as they listened to the banter between the two.

"But wouldn't it be nice to have a surprise?" Jake disagreed with her.

"And then if we knew ahead of time, we could go shopping and buy things based on _gender,_" Rachel put across her point.

Nathan had walked in though the door to the lounge room, noting the conversation going on in the kitchen.

"What's going on?" Nathan asked his parents, looking down at them on the sofa.

"They're debating whether or not to find out if it's a girl or boy," Dave filled him in.

"Jake doesn't want to know, Rachel does," added Julie. Rachel looked over to where her parents and brother were sitting and standing.

"Oh, it's funny now, is it?" Jake merely shook his head at her hormonal outburst. "All I am saying is the advantages of knowing."

"And all I'm saying is that a surprise would be nice," Jake again stated.

"Wasn't this baby enough of a surprise already?" Rachel told him. She looked back over at her parents. "A happy surprise," she amended. "But still a surprise." Julie laughed and went back to her magazine, while Dave kissed Ruby's head.

"Surely it's not that big a deal," Nathan chose to say, walking over to the sink to get a glass of water. Jake cringed, and bowed his head for what he knew was to come.

"Not that big a deal? Not that big a deal?" Rachel told him murderously.

"No, I mean, can't just one of you find out?" Nathan called out as she left the kitchen. Jake simply laughed quietly before following her out.

"Touchy..." Nathan concluded, rejoining his parents.

"Pregnant women mate," his father had told him. "Never mess with them. And that was a good one."

"Oi, be nice you too," Julie told the boys before standing up to go and see if Rachel was okay.

/

It wasn't their first ultrasound, but it didn't make it any less amazing, especially as their 'little peanut' was growing and beginning to look more like a little person and less like a peanut.

"And everything's fine?" Rachel asked for what Jake thought was the twelfth time.

"Absolutely, positively fine," the ultrasound technician replied. "Would you like to know the sex?" Jake was about to reply, but Rachel beat him to it.

"No," she said simply.

"It's okay, Rach," Jake told her, squeezing her hand. "If you want to find out you can, just as long as you don't tell me."

"No, we don't want to know," Rachel didn't say anything to Jake, simply stating it to the ultrasound tech.

Leaving the clinic, they walked together until they split to hop into the car, Jake driving and Rachel passenger.

"You know, you could have found out," Jake told her, pressing his keys to unlock the car.

"No, because it's something you felt so strongly about. I understand that," Rachel replied, opening the passenger side door. "Besides, if I stated buying blue or pink, you'd be likely to twig." Jake paused as he watched her struggle a little getting into the car.

"You're amazing. You really are," he told her, watching her for another second before stepping into the driver's seat.

"And don't I know it..." Rachel's reply was confident, with a hint of sarcasm.

/

The day she'd gone into labour, Rachel was at home alone. Jake was at work with her Dad, her grandfather was with Chel and her mother was attending a mother's group. She'd woken up with cramps, but having suffered with Braxton Hicks for majority of the last trimester, hadn't thought much of it. But when her waters broke, Rachel had been shocked. Not only was it a month before her due date, she was at home completely alone.

Elsewhere, Jake had been alone at work. Installing an air conditioner for a client, it was only a one-man job. His phone on the table, Jake didn't hear it ring as he drilled a bracket to the wall.

With a frustrated sigh, Rachel threw her phone down on the bed before taking a deep breath, unsure of whether it was for the pain or to keep herself calm. Deciding on what to do next, she re-picked up her phone from the bed and left the house.

It was Carbo who answered the front door of the Karadonis house. Seeing his best mate's pregnant sister in the doorway, he called out.

"Benno, Rachel's here!" Rachel simply walked past him, muttering to him as she passed.

"Is Melissa home?"

Coming into the space near the living room, Rachel saw Ben standing next to the table, popping a potato chip into his mouth from the open packet on the table.

"Oh hey Rach, what are you doing here?" Ben said as he eyed her.

"Tell me Mel is here," Rachel told him calmly.

"Yeah, she's upstairs..." Ben's tone was question. "Why... oh, you're not are you?"

"Can someone just get Mel?" Rachel demanded. Carbo took that as his cue, heading for the stairs.

"Mel? Melissa? Rachel needs you!" With Carbo on a mission to get the nurse, Ben looked back at his sister.

"I thought you weren't due for another month?"

"I'm not," Rachel told him quietly, her hand rubbing at her 8-month-pregnant belly. She counted herself lucky in that she hadn't turned completely huge, although she felt it at times.

"Hey Rachel, are you alright?" asked Melissa as she hurried down the stairs, Carbo behind her.

"I think I'm in labour," Rachel told her.

"You're sure?" Melissa asked to which Rachel nodded.

"She's a month early Mel," Ben told his wife, worry evident in his words. "Have you called Jake?" Rachel groaned a little before nodding and telling her brother that she couldn't get a hold of him. Melissa nodded.

"We've got to get you to hospital," Melissa decided. "Ben, call Jake again and get my car keys."

And just as promised, they had gotten her to hospital. Melissa sitting with Rachel in the back, with Ben driving, he'd also continually tried to get a hold of the dad-to-be, who was still missing in action. Arriving at the hospital, Ben continued to call and attempt to get through to Jake, not knowing that the electrician couldn't hear his phone. Melissa got Rachel signed in and a doctor was on the way.

A doctor had already seen an assessed Rachel by the time Jake finally found the umpteen missed calls and messages on his phone. Rachel, Ben, Carbo, Nathan and Dave. By this point, Jake had realised what was going on, leaving the now finished job and heading outside, where he ran into Dave and Nathan who had just arrived in a bid to get the tradie to the hospital in time.

Rachel by this point had been told by the doctor that she would indeed be giving birth today. The doctor had assured Rachel that, despite being a few weeks early, the baby was at a healthy size to be born.

A while later, Rachel had hit the point of nerves, forgetting the calm she had, surprisingly, been earlier. Melissa was calm, her nurse training coming into affect while Ben on the other hand was having his own mini-freak out at having to be back in this situation. Being with his mother for part of Ruby's birth had scarred him enough.

By the time Jake had finally made it Sydney's Royal North Shore hospital, Rachel had reached the end of her tether. Spotting Jake and in excruciating pain, Rachel had sighed 'Finally!' as he came into the room a nurse had led him to. Melissa had sighed at the fact that he had arrived in time whilst Ben sighed at the relief he wouldn't have to be there to hold his sister's hand.

An extremely long, six hours later, the doctor had checked on the still unborn baby and saw the distress, prompting an immediate emergency caesarean. At this point, Rachel was exhausted and beyond herself with worry that she agreed with almost anything the doctor said. She didn't even hear as Jake managed to make himself allowed in the operating theatre.

And that was how Sienna Grace Barton came into the world, weighing six pound, eight ounces at approximately 3.1 kilograms, a healthy size given she was premature.

Rachel, despite her groggy state, couldn't help but smile as she was told by Jake that they had a daughter. And Jake couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he saw his daughter for the first time.

Hours later, once the family had left, Jake and Rachel had finally had the chance to spend time alone with their precious little girl. Rachel was sitting up in bed, and Jake was leaning against Rachel, both looking at the sleeping baby in Rachel's arms.

"Isn't she perfect?" Jake said to Rachel, although it was no question. Rachel nodded, not taking her eyes away from the newborn.

"I don't think I ever quite understood what Mum meant when she said what a miracle a baby is, how you have a connection with them and it's like magic," Rachel said. She paused and looked up at Jake. "You know she's the reason we made things work."

"I know," Jake agreed. "And that's why we're so lucky."

"Imagine where we'd be if she didn't come along and surprise us like she did," added Rachel.

"I don't even want to think about it, because right now, I have my two girls," Jake said. "My two girls who mean the absolute world to me. I love you."

"I love you too. And we're here as a family. Together."

_**And the curtain falls...**_

_**What did we all think? Would love you all to leave your reviews... Thanks again for reading, especially aussiebabe290.**_


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